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THE DISCIPLINED CHURCH

June 24, 2001 AM

Sermon Outline

2 Tim 2:5 and 1 Cor 9:24-27

INTRO: The two passages I have read literally oozewith the idea of discipline. I have no idea what the word discipline brings to your mind. But to my mind it brings the idea of structure, training, predictability. Its clear from scripture that Christians are to live disciplined lives. And it is also clear that our structured, disciplined lives must be lived in a living relationship to/with the church. So, the church is to be a disciplined church.

I. GOD REVEALS ...

A The manner of our personal lives

1. 1 Thes 4:1,2,7 ...ought to walk to please God ...

2. Col 3:5-14 mortify ... put off ... put on ...

3. Eph 4:22-5:10 in all of this we are to be imitators of God as dear children

4. an Old Testament help? Ps 19:14

5. there is a way to live such that we will be acceptable to God ... so, 1 Pet 4:2

B. The pattern for the church, the body of Christ

1. 1 Tim 3:14,15 a key verse: scripture reveals the hows for the church

2. 1 Cor 11:23 and 16:1 specific things revealed for instruction, the pattern for the church

3. and we must conform to the pattern revealed

4. we recognize, therefore, structure, discipline in matters relating to the church

5. 2 Tim 1:13 the admonition

C. 2 Tim 3:16,17 Scripture disciplines us

1. it is preventive in its instruction (mentioned above)

2. but it is corrective in its reproofs

3. Ps 119:11 & 59 presence of the word in ones heart has a tremendous correcting influence

4. a tender heart well instructed in the word will accept correction of the word

II. BUT WHAT IF ...

A. A Christian chooses to live outside the pattern?

B. Are there Biblical examples of what to do?

1. 1 Thes 5:14 warn them that are unruly

2. Gal 6:1 and Jas 5:19,20 personal admonitions teaching

3. each brother in Christ has a responsibility here ... Gal 6:1 certainly emphasized the spirit

4. of course, Mt 18:15 is helpful in personal situations

C. But what if personal efforts are of no avail?

1. compare 1 Thes 5:14 with 2 Thes 3:6

2. here is apparently the exact situation posed in our questions

3. disorderly - unruly, not according to prescribed order, insubordinate (compared to 3:7 and Pauls behavior)

4. withdraw yourselves from ...

5. 1 Cor 5:4,5 when ye are gathered together - this was to be corporate church action

6. 2 Thes 3:14 note that man - some sort of public notice of that person is necessary and scriptural (cf Rom 16:17 mark ... and avoid

D. What does this mean in practice?

1. withdraw yourselves certainly indicates a change in relationship

2. have no company with him makes very clear what withdrawing means!

3. 1 Cor 5:11 makes the matter plain

E. Whats the point?

1. 1 Cor 5:6 the purity of the church (leaven - corruption) - also Rom 16:17

2. 1 Cor 5:5 and 2 Thes 3:14 the repentance and return of the disorderly person

CLOSE: The discipline of discipleship is not optional. We are talking about a way of life which reflects into every relationship, every word, every choice. And the discipline is for our good ... presently and eternally.

Cecil A. Hutson

24 June 2001

God's Plan of Salvation

You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

You must believe and have faith in God because "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)

You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called "Sinner's Prayer" that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the "Sinner's Prayer" to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)

You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus "Lord of your life." Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just "accept Jesus as your personal savior." We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)

Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God's grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God's grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)